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Category: politics

Humans have always seemed to been drawn to high ground. Even the children’s game “King of the Mountain”. was a way of teaching the philosophy. It is a phrase in language. A military tactical advantage. A phrase that means high moral standard. The words high ground have significance in all cultures and languages.

Writing this blog sometimes causes me to reflect on what should be the “story of the day”. It may be just my mood that influences my choice. The following article ,as far as I am concerned, has been one of the many elephants on the room.

Most of the countries of the world have “VAT”. They are centralized nations. In the United States, our fundamental fear of a centralized government creates a far more difficult environment to establish a unified code. Like most people I do not know the answer. I do know I do not want to pay more. Sales tax is effectively a use tax. I think I might prefer it to property tax.

Amazon and Ebay, two of the biggest names in online retail, have staked out contrary positions in a debate over the taxation of US internet shopping, which enables many buyers to escape paying sales tax.

The two companies are divided in the face of a lobbying challenge from bricks-and-mortar rivals including Walmart and Sears , which complain that a tax loophole gives their online rivals an unfair price advantage. The issue is being pushed up the political agenda by the weak public finances of many US states, which are struggling with budget deficits and are eager to find new sources of tax revenue.

The US does not have a federal tax law on internet commerce, but since 2008 seven states have changed their laws in an effort to makeAmazon and others collect sales tax from customers.

Amazon has fought such moves aggressively, but says it would support a federal law provided it was simple and applied even-handedly. Ebay , by contrast, remains a staunch opponent of any catch-all legislation.

The controversy has implications for cash-strapped consumers, whose shift to tax-free online shopping was accelerated by the economic downturn.

Ebay, by contrast, is opposed to any form of legislation that would impose taxes on small retailers, including thousands of those who sell goods on its web marketplace.

Brian Bieron, senior director for federal government affairs at Ebay, said: “We believe that putting a tax burden on small businesses and treating them the same as giant retailers is unfair. This would add a new cost.”

Several bricks-and-mortar retailers – including Walmart, Target , Sears and Best Buy – have joined a lobbying group called the Alliance For Main Street Fairness that is encour aging states to modify their laws.

Danny Diaz, a spokesman for the alliance, criticised Amazon’s position. “It is incredibly disingenuous for them to say they support a federal solution when they are battling state efforts tooth and nail. Their entire business model is based on state tax avoidance,” he said